Mason- Psychology
Psych Dream Analysis
In this assignment you will write an essay in which you describe and analyze a dream. Select ONE DREAM to analyze
thoroughly. If you have not had a dream you can recall, interview someone about their
dream. Make sure to get as many details as possible.
Paper
1. Describe the content of your dream in detail—(manifest content- The part you remember)
2. Analyze your dream THOROUGHLY from 3 perspectives
a. Psychoanalytic Perspective (Freud)
b. Activation-Synthesis
c. One additional perspective—choose from the following
 Dream Web Sites or a Dream Book


 Information Processing Theory


 Reverse Learning Theory

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 Survival theory
3. Decide which interpretation is the most valid for analyzing your dream and explain why.
4. Include your perceptions about dreams—common themes/emotions; anything you have discovered about
yourself or your dreams, your views about why we dream; etc.
5. Your paper must contain:
a. An introduction and conclusion
b. A bibliography
c. Appropriate grammar, punctuation, spelling
6. Make sure you attach your dreamlogs that you kept to your essay.
This should be between 3-5 pages in length, 12 point font and double spaced.
Topic
Content of Dream
Analysis of dream
from Psychoanalytic
Perspective
Analysis of dream
from
Activation-Synthesis
perspective
Analysis of dream
from another
perspective
Which theory is best
interpretation for
this dream?
Other
analysis/conclusions
about the dream
Mechanics &
Dreamlogs
Great
Described it
thoroughly. Went
into great detail
about the dream and
made it vividly clear
what the dream was
all about
Analysis of dream
was detailed and
thorough. Paper
broke down the
dream completely
and analyzed the
content as Freud
would have
Analysis of dream
was detailed and
thorough. Paper
broke down the
dream completely
and analyzed the
content from this
perspective. It is
readily clear that you
completely
understand this
theory
Analysis of dream
was detailed and
thorough. Paper
broke down the
dream completely
and analyzed the
content from this
perspective. It is
readily clear that you
completely
understand this
theory
Completely evaluates
the dream based on
this theory with
excellent logic and
explanation.
Good
Described it well.
After reading it, it is
clear what the dream
was about.
Needs Work
Could describe it
more in detail. It is
not entirely clear
what the details of
the dream were
Score
Had good analysis.
Broke the dream
down and did a nice
job of analyzing the
different
components of the
dream
Has some good
analysis but could
have more
/8
Had good analysis.
Broke the dream
down and did a nice
job of analyzing the
different
components of the
dream It seems like
you have a grasp of
this theory
Has some good
analysis but could
have more. Seems
like you may
understand the
theory but it is not
evident that you
have a commanding
grasp of it
/8
Had good analysis.
Broke the dream
down and did a nice
job of analyzing the
different
components of the
dream It seems like
you have a grasp of
this theory
Has some good
analysis but could
have more. Seems
like you may
understand the
theory but it is not
evident that you
have a commanding
grasp of it
/8
Evaluates the dream
based on one of the
theories very well
/4
Includes perceptions
about
dreams—common
themes/emotions;
anything you have
discovered about
yourself or your
dreams, your views
about why we
dream; etc.
Intro, conclusion,
bibliography,
grammar, mechanics
are professional and
perfect. Has all
necessary dreamlogs
Has some
perceptions, what
you have discovered
about yourself or
your dreams, or your
views about why we
dream, but could be
more thorough
Has some good
interpretation of this
dream but/or needs
more. May not
really interpret the
dream based on one
of the theories
Has some of this, but
needs more
Presentation needs
to be improved.
Dreamlogs?
/6
Presentation is good
but has a few errors.
Has most of
dreamlogs
/10
/4
/48